Improvement in sewing-machines



J. L. FGLLETT.

Sewing-Machines.

N0, 135,536. Patented Feb.4,1873.

AM Film -L/mo sRAPH/c co. N. 1(oseomvsfs Pnacgss) UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOSEPH LEONARD FOLLETT, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,536, dated February4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. L. FOLLETT, of Troy,

inthe county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in SewingMachines, of which the following isa specification:

This invention relates to an improved shuttle and an improvedshuttle-holder for 'sewin gmachines. The shuttle which I have inventedis a double-pointed crescent-shaped rotary shuttle,'revolving upon acenter or axis Within its body in contradistinction to a center or axisoutside of or beyond the body, and pierced through this center or axiswith a hole, through which the thread from the bobbin may be passed tothe one side of the shuttle or the other, as required, the threading tothe one side producing a stitch of a different character to that whichis produced by threading to the other side, as hereinafter described.The shuttle is designed to revolve and to sew in either direction, andcan be used with either a single or a double machine. The shuttle holderand propeller consists of a socket or cup arranged to rotate and adaptedto receive the shuttle, and to compel the same to follow its rotarymovement, the said cup or socket being combined with means,substantially as hereinafter described,whereby it may be caused to pressthe shuttle with more or less force, as required, against a stationaryplate, between which and the cup the shuttle is held.

The nature of my invention, however, and the manner in which the same isor may be carried into effect, can best be explained by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of theshuttle and holder. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a view of the shuttle, looking at its flat side orfront. Fig. 4 is a view of the shuttle-receivin g socket or cup and theshaft or axis of the same. Fig. 5 is a view of the shuttle from itsrounded side or back. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the shutt-le on theline l 2, Fig. 3. A

The shuttle, as shown, has, for the most part, a discoidal shape, beingiiat on one side, which I shall call the front, and rounded on the otherside, which I shall call the back. Its

periphery for about three-quarters of its extent is unbroken; theremaining quarter, or even less, of the periphery being cut away andrecessed, in the manner clearly shown at a in Figs. 3 and 5, so as toform the two horns or points b b. The recess a does not extend so far asthe center or axis of the disk, and at this center or axis the shuttleis pierced through from front to back to form the thread-hole c. In thebody of the shuttle, on the side of the center hole c, opposite therecess c, is formed a cylindrical receptacle, d., for the bobbin orspool c, extending through from front to back, and provided with anannular flan ge, d', at the back to hold the bobbin in. The bobbin isput in from the front of the shuttle, and at its rear rests against thisiiange.

The making this receptacle to open through the back of the shuttle isadvantageous on several accounts: It permits the thread from the bobbinto be threaded through the hole c out at the front of the shuttle; itsaves friction on the needle-thread by lessening the bearingsurface onthe widest or thickest 4part of the shuttle 5 it also lessens frictionon the bobbin or spool, and lightens the shuttle, and the bobbin can betaken out easily from the shut tle by simply pressing the nger againstthe bobbin through the opening, and Without turning over the shuttle andshaking it, which it would be necessary to do were the receptacle closedat the back.

Any suitable device for holdingthe bobbin in its case or receptacle maybe employed. In this instance I make use of a disk, f, located in arecess in the shuttle on one side of the b0bbinas shown in Fig. 3. Thisdisk is held in place by a screw, f1, which screws into a socket-piece,f2, in the shuttle, (see Fig. 2 5) and it can be turned on the screw f1as its axis. The disk is so'placed as to overlap the bobbin; and it iscut away on one side, as shown at f2, so that, when it is turned farenough to bring the cut-away portion opposite the bobbin, thc latterwill be released, and canbe removed from the shuttle. Beneath the disk Iplace a coiled spring, f4, to press outward against the disk. This isnot absolutely essential, but I prefer it, both inrorder that the diskmay remain in any position in which it is placed, and

that it may also, bybeing screwed down moreorlesstowardoruponthebobbin,actasatension on the bobbin-rim. In a recessin the shuttle, onthe side of the bobbin opposite the holdingdisk, is atension composed of two dished plates, g g1, arranged as shown in Fig.2, the under one encircling a stud, g2, to which the upper one isfastened by a screw, and being pressed toward the latter by a spring,g3. There is space enough between the rim of the upper plate g and theside of the recess to permit the passage between the same of the threadfrom the bobbin. The recess in which the tension is located opens intothe recess d, which contains the bobbin, as indicated in Fig. 3 5 andfrom the tension-recess there also extends a groove, 71 along the sideof the bobbin-recess and across 4the thread-hole, dividing the same intotw-o parts, o and c. The thread from the bobbin passesV around thetension, and thence along the groove h through the hole c or c',according as thethread is to pass out on the back or the front of theshuttle.

When the shuttle-thread passes out at the back of the shuttle;-that is,along h and through c-the simple or ordinary lock-stitch will be'formedwhen-the shuttle is used withv the other elements of a sewingmechanism-to wit, a feed, a cloth-plate, and a needle carrying an upperthread. When, however, the shuttie-thread passes out at the front-thatis, along h and through c-a lock-stitch will, under like conditions, beformed which has other characteristics-that is to say, the shuttle, whenin motion, will be caused to pass over its own thread, and the'upper orneedle thread will thereby be twisted, making what I call a twistedlock-stitch, a stitch much tighter and more secure than the plainlock-stitch, and indicated enlarged in diagram, Fig. 8, the plainlock-stitch being indicated in a similar diagram, Fig. 7.

In order to thread the shuttle for the plain lock-stitch, take the endof the thread from y the bobbin, which has not yet been placed in therecess d, and pass it from the front ofthe recess cl through the part' cof the threadhole, so -that it will emerge from the back of the shuttle;pull through about four or tive inches of thread, holding the shuttleand thread thus pulled through with the left hand, and then, holding thebobbin in the right hand, pass its thread around the tension, pulling itdown between the rim of the upper tension-plate and the side of thetension-recess. Then place the bobbin in its recess, first winding uponthe bobbin any slack thread, and lock it in pla-ce by means of theholding-disk f.

To thread the shuttle for the twisted lockstitch, the end of the threadfrom the bobbin is first passed through from the front and out throughthe back of recess d; then, turning the end of the` thread, pass it backthrough recess d into and through the part c of the The shuttle isreceived by a cylindrical holding socket or cup, A, provided with abalance heel or stub, t', so formed and located that; when the shuttleis slipped into the holder it (the heel or stub) will lit in the recessa between the points of the shuttle. outer edges of this stub arerounded oft', as shown in Fig. 4. By reason of this st-ub or heel theshuttle will be caused to follow the.

movement of the holder when the latter rotates. From the rear of theholder projects a rod, B, which fits and is capable of sliding in atubular shaft, C, supported in a'bearing, D,

designed to be attached to the sewing-machine, underneath thecloth-plate. The end of tube C, in front of the bearing D, is split orslotted, as shown at j, Figs. 1 and 2, and into.

this slot projects a pin or spline, k, from rod B, so that the latter,while capable of sliding longitudinally in the tubular shaft, mustfollow the'rotary movement of the same. The

sliding movement of the -rod B is limited inVV the one direction bymeans of a check-nut, E, screwing on the screw-threaded front end oftubular shaft O, in the path of the pin-or spline 7c,- and this nut canbe adjusted back and forth t0 prevent the rod B and holder A fromadvancing further than the distance desired; and in the other directionit is controlled by a spring, Z, within the tubular shaft C, which tendsto pressy the holder `A forward.. The pressure of the spring for thispurposemay be regulated and graduated by means of the adjusting orregulating set-screw m, screwing through a plug in the rear end of shaftC, and bea-rin g against the rear of the spring. Upon the shaft C is apinion, n, designed to gear with a 'cog-wheel on the main shaft of thesewing-machine, from which the rotary movement of shaft C, andconsequently of the holder and shuttle, is derived. The holder ispressed toward a plate, F, between which and the holder the shuttle isheld. This plate is connected with the bearing D by a suitable arm orframe, G, and is provided with a longitudinal slot for the passage ofthe needle, which is designed to pass down through this slot, and sothat the shuttle, when working against the face of this plate, will, bymeans of one of its points, b, take, or pass through, the loop from theneedle in making the stitch. This plate is of annular formation, asshown-that is to say, it is so cut away as to be in contact only withthe outer portion of the shuttle toward the rim; and this constructionis advantageous on several accounts: It lessens friction on the shuttle;prevents the friction on the two threads which would otherwise takeplaceV in making the twisted lock-stitch, and-prevents The top orliability of the point of the shuttle, in making this stitch, picking upthe shuttle-thread with the needle-thread--an event which mightotherwise occur, especially in view of the fact that the face `of theshuttle upon which the two threads are in making this stitch is flat andworks close against the plate F. The arrangement of the check-nut,adjusting-screw, and spring, above described, .in connection with theholder and plate F, allows the press`l ure with which the shuttlereceiver or cup holds the shuttle against the plate F to be accuratelyadjusted and regulated. The holder can be drawn back readily either topermit the insertion or withdrawal of the shuttle; and, indeed, no careis required in order to insert the shuttle. It can be pushed in betweenthe plate and the holder, and,even if its points do not at rst embracet-he heel or stub i, this will take place as soon as the machineis putin motion. Both the back of the shuttle and the stub are rounded, asabove stated, and the rim of the cup or holder is high enough to holdthe shuttle, even if the latter be not exactly placed; and when themachineis put in motion the holder will revolve, the shuttle remainingat rest until the heel z' cornes opposite its recess a, when the shuttleinstantly falls into place and partakes of the rotary movement of theholder.

The above-described devices are, of course, onlyV one part of a sewingmechanism; but those skilled in the art to which this invention relateswill understand without further explanation the manner in which the sameare to b e applied and used.

lThe shuttle, as before said, is doublepointed, and is adapted t0revolve and do its work in either direction.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same is ormay be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure byIiettersPatent, is-

1. A double-pointed crescent-shaped rotary shuttle, having its centerFor axis of motion within its body, and pierced axially with athread-hole, which extends from front to back,

and communicates intermediately with the bobbin-receptacle,substantially as described, whereby the thread from the bobbin may becaused to pass out either at the front or back of the shuttle, for thepurposes set forth.

2. In a shuttle of the kind described, in which the thread-hole isformed and arranged as specified in the preceding clause, abobbinreceptacle extending entirely through the shuttle from front torear, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The arrangement in the shuttle of the herein-described bobbin,tension, and bobbinlocking plates, substantially in the manner setforth.

4. The shuttle holder or cup and its sup porting-rod, in combinationwith` the tubular rotary shaft, in which said rod fits and slides, andthe check-nut and spring and adjustingscrew, for regulating the movementof said holder, the parts being constructed and arranged substantiallyas shown and set forth.

5. In combination with the shuttle-holder and devices for Vholding andoperating the same, the annular plate toward which the holder is pressedand between which and the holder the shuttle when in place is supported,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribin g witnesses.

JOSEPH LEONARD FOLLETT.

Witnesses:

A. G. GoLDTHwAIT, WM. F. HART.

